“behind closed doors” being emblematic of the problem with Albany in general. Sayeth the Times:

They can suck it up, and pick one of the three comptroller candidates whose names were forwarded by the expert panel that their leader agreed to. Or they can go their own way by picking an Assemblyman for the post â€“ humiliating the Democratic governor who agreed on the process with them.

I don’t see it as humiliating Spitzer. I see it as the Assembly upping the ante. I would also see that as the beginning of Shelly Silver’s fall from power, if not grace.

Assemblyman Tom DiNapoli, D-Great Neck, one of the four remaining Assembly candidates for comptroller said there is a fair amount of â€œfrustrationâ€ among the members for agreeing to a process that â€œdidnâ€™t make a whole lot of sense from the beginning.â€

So far, that sounds like the only point of agreement among the Assembly Democrats, who havenâ€™t yet gotten around to a vote on whether they should ignore the panelâ€™s three picks and strike out on their own.

Hopefully my man Spitz will come through and make those entitled bastards in the Assembly wish they’d never crossed him. Can’t we do something like call for the resignation of every member of the Assembly and vote over again?

Don’t try to sound all enlightened. All this talk about the replacement of comptroller being the power of the legislative branch and not the executive branch is irrelevant. People aren’t so upset that the Assembly gets to pick the next comptroller (on behalf of New York voters) as they are about how irresponsibly they’re going to do it. I don’t care about previous agreements about committees, “playing fair,” giving Spitzer ultimate power, 3 or 5 candidate technicalities or any of that BS.

The controversy over this particular selection, which happens to have only surfaced to the public because of an agreement between Spitzer, Bruno, and Silver to have a committee select qualified candidates, has to do with who the Assembly picks and why. We now KNOW that they are not selecting a comptroller based on qualifications specific to the post of comptroller, but rather on qualifications specific to being an Assembly Democrat. Whether or not it is their “right” to do so, it still doesn’t make it the right decision, or an ethical one for that matter. The Assembly members don’t really get that it’s not about THEM and what THEY get to do. Theyâ€™re so whiney about it too. â€œItâ€™s OUR power. Give it BAAACKâ€ (so we can abuse it). They have a responsibility to the citizens of New York, and they will blow it.

Reinmoose Sez:
We now KNOW that they are not selecting a comptroller based on qualifications specific to the post of comptroller, but rather on qualifications specific to being an Assembly Democrat.

If he’s correct, and I’m not saying he isn’t, that’s truly sad. And not because the word Democrat is in it. NY’s State government is in Deep Kimchee, and I wouldn’t care if the next comptroller was a Green Party member, if he’s the best qualified to do the job.

Both parties in the Assembly and Senate have shown their ability to blow it repeatedly when the chips are down. This is something they shouldn’t even be trusted with.

Just an FYI, the three names that the panel picked are: “Wall Street financier Bill Mulrow, New York City financial officer Martha Stark and Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman,” according to the Examiner.

I’ve worked in the LOB …Iâ€™ve seen how it’s done. Votes for comptroller should be based on character. Not one of these candidates would be here if they didnâ€™t fit the predetermined comptroller description. DiNapoli has demonstrated his ability to lead in a bi-partisan fashion. He has many allies and few enemies, which speaks loudly.

Donâ€™t be fooled by what you are reading. Spitz is a great guy but he is a political figure. There are always political games being played. Spitz has burned many bridges during this process and Iâ€™m sure he will burn more before the final decision is made. People need to learn to read between the lines. Get to understand the game and the players before you rule out any candidates.